Volunteers

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HELP?

Introduction

Turtle Trax S.A is contracted by Pretoma to manage all international and National volunteers who wish to work alongside pretoma on one of their four nesting beaches protecting marine turtles of the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. We will provide information and support before and during their trip to ensure that they receive an experience of a lifetime.

Mission statement

To provide a unique community based volunteer experience immersing volunteers within local traditions and cultures, providing important economic benefit to coastal communities whist aiding in the direct conservation of endangered marine turtles.

Click on the link below to know all the information you need to participate in our projects!!

17 Comments Already

I’m currently living in San Jose, Costa Rica and would like to volunteer with your organization for several hours per week. Could you please tell me how I can get involved as well as current projects I might be able to help with?

My husband and I volunteered for Pretoma through Turtle Trax and it was one of the best experiences ever. We travel frequently and usually do the 4 star hotel thing. We had never done a travel-work trip but we prepared well and can’t wait to go back!

My husband and two teenagers (ages 16 and 14) would like to sign up to volunteer in San Miguel for July 18-Aug. 1. Can you please send me any forms that need to be filled out along with a quote for costs? I think the cost is $850 pp for 2 weeks + $590 pp for transportation/handling to and from San Miguel. Please confirm as soon as possible. We would like to sign up and book their airfare.

Hello! I am from California in the United States. I am a college student studying environmental science. I would love it if there was an opportunity for me to come and volunteer or intern if thats possible during the summer. Let me know! I would love to help!!! I want to do work like this someday!

I tried to volunteer for them but they’re not a serious organisation. Not only did they charge me a ton for the volunteering, the conditions were awful for what they claimed it cost. All we got in the morning for instance was powder milk and powder something I couldn’t even identify. Then came the long boring days we did nothing at all. And then in the evenings when we went on beach patrol, we’d see the poachers but weren’t allowed to approach and dialogue with them. In fact, there is only one family of poachers in the area so if you make them stop which there are ways you can as I’ve investigated them in all the free time I had at disposal, there is no more threat to the eggs on land. Then you can focus on the fishing boats and the nets with all the damage caused not only to turtles but also to other wildlife. What is the point if you can’t even educate people about the ecosystem balance they depend on? There were a few other ideas I had like picking up the trash from the beach and trying to educate people not to pollute it with their trash and gasoline burning vehicles.

The whole business of this organisation only works because of the ignorance and rampant corruption and poor education in costa rica. The way they do things is also completely inefficient and borderline counter productive. There was this british kid for instance who’d bring sand into the room all time since he’d come and go to the beach so often and then he’d try to boss people around so they clean instead of himself. I asked who is he to order people around, he said because he’s doing some scientific projet… how does that translate to a child being useless and ordering people around? I never understood their logic or lack of management. If you’re after a lazy vacation in a place that’s sort of exotic and gives a feel for a third world country, look no further but don’t think you’ll accomplish much in terms of actual wildlife conservation. One week is even too much, so try to visit other places like the rain forest to make your trip to costa rica more worthwhile. Also prepare for very tiring bumpy rides as the roads are unpaved in most places.